Material loading apparatus



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MATERIAL LOADING APPARATUS March 4, 1952 Filed Feb. 12, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 4, 1952 Filed Fgb. 12, 1945 C. F. OSGOOD MATERIAL LOADING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 12221622202 6/26226617 Qayaod.

Patented Mar. 4, 1952 MATERIAL LOADING APPARATUS Charles F. Osgood, Franklin, Pa., assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company,

Pennsylvania a corporation of Application February 12, 1945, Serial No. 577,359

2 Claims.

This invention relates to material handling apparatus and more particularly to improvements in apparatus for loading and conveying loose coal in the narrow seams of an underground coal mine.

In underground coal mines having low headroom, it is common practice to use room conveyors of relatively low height laid on the floor of the mine for conveying the loose coal from the coal face to the main mine entry, and such conveyors are usually of the endless belt or chain or reciprocating shaker type. Shaker type conveyors with automatic loading heads are widely used but are comparatively quite noisy in operation and are subject to certain limitations as to the manner and location of use and the steepness of the gradient encountered. Room conveyors of the endless belt or chain type are usually loaded by hand or by a separate mobile loading machine, and, in extremely narrow coal seams where it is too low for a mobile loading machine to operate, hand loading is a necessity. Belt or chain type conveyors are, however, comparative- 1y quiet in operation and can operate in extreme- 1y narrow places and on relatively steep gradients. The provision of a low height loading head for automatically loading the coal onto the belt or chain type conveyors, thereby eliminating laborious hand loading in low coal, is accordingly extremely desirable.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved material handling apparatus for automatically moving the loose coal at the coal face onto a belt or chain type room conveyor. Another object is to provide an improved continuous loading head for a room conveyor which substantially overcomes the disadvantages of other types of loading equipment heretofore employed in narrow coal seams. A further object is to provide an improved coal loading apparatus of the continuous loading head type, especially designed for use in mines having extremely low headroom. A still further object is to provide an improved coal loading apparatus which is extremely vertically compact and having improved gathering and conveying means. Still another object is to provide an improved extensible and retractible loading boom for a loading apparatus. Yet another object is to provide an improved loading apparatus of the floor type adapted to rest upon and slide in any direction over the floor of a mine and having improved gathering and conveying means. A still further object is to provide an improved coal loading apparatus which is especially designed for use in narrow coal seams and embodying the desirable characteristics of mobile coal loaders which are restricted to use in relatively high coal. Still another object is to provide an improved pivotal connection between the front and rear sections of the loading apparatus whereby extreme flexibility is attained, particularly when operating on an uneven floor. It is still another object to provide an improved loading apparatus having novel combinations and arrangements of parts. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for the purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Figs. 1 and 3, when taien together, constitute a plan view of an illustrative embodiment of the improved material handling apparatus.

Figs. 2 and 4, when taken together, constitute a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged view in central longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on line l--1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line lU-- l 0 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line ll--ll of Fig. 3.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the fluid system.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation, showing the apparatus in loading position in a mine.

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus in a mine, illustrating its manner of operation.

The material handling apparatrs'of the present invention is of an extremely low compact design especially adapted for use in mines having low headroom and includes a low compact frame or body I mounted on a bottom skid 2 to slide over the fioor of a mine in a manner similar to a conventional floor type coal cutting machine. Mounted in a relatively low position on the body l to swing in a vertical direction with respect thereto about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the body as at 3 is an elongated loading boom or frame A! projecting a substantial distance forwardly in advance of the body l. Carried at the forward end of the loading boom is a continuous loading head 5 which is adapted to gather loose coal from the mine floor and move it rearwardly onto a front loading or gathering conveyor ii, the latter being guided for circulation on the boom 4 and body I. The front loading or gathering conveyor discharges onto a rear discharge conveyor l mounted on a frame 8 carried by a s id 9 slidable over the mine floor, and the rear conveyor section is loosely pivotally connected, as hereinafter explained, to the rear end of the body i. This discharge conveyor projects horizontally in a rearward direction and is adapted to overlie a conventional room conveyor it (Figs. 13 and 1 1*) laid on the mine floor, and the rear conveyor is held in a stationary position with its discharge end over the room conveyor, by means of hydraulic roof jacks H. These roof jacks are pivotally connected at 52 to the bottom skid 9 of the rear conveyor so that they may be swung downwardly into an out-ofthe-way position when not in use. The rear conveyor is driven by a conventional hydraulic motor i3 carried by the frame 8. The body I of the front conveyor section is swivelly connected to the skid frame of the rear conveyor to tilt slightly in horizontal and vertical directions relative thereto during the loading operation, and the swivel connection between the body I and the skid frame ll comprises a swivel ring i l rotatable relative to the rear conveyor frame 8 and pivotally connected at l5 to arms it; formed on a vertical swivel plate ll. As shown in Fig. 9, the swivel plate H is guided by arcuate guides 93 for limited swinging movement about a horizontal axisextending longitudinally of the body 9. Accordingly, a universal pivotal connection is provided between the body I of the front conveyor section and frame 3 of the rear conveyor section. Thus, the skid frame of the rear discharge conveyor, when held in stationary position by the roof jacks ll, provides a stationary pivot for the rear end of the front loading conveyor and the loading head so that the loading conveyor and the loading head may swing horizontally about a stationary pivot during the loading operation. The universal pivotal con nection between the bottom of the front conveyor and the skid frame of the rear conveyor permits free movement of the front conveyor and the loading head over a mine floor which i uneven. The front loading boom and front conveyor are extensible and retractible so that the loading head ii may be fed into the loose coal while the body 5 remains in relatively stationary position.

In this improved construction, carried by the body I of the front conveyor section beneath the front conveyor is a motor 28, preferably an electric motor, which may drive the feeding means for the apparatus and the hydraulic pumping means for supplying liquid under pressure to the various hydraulically operated devices of the apparatus. The feeding means includes relatively rotatable cable winding drums 2i and 22 journaled on alined horizontal axes at opposite sides of the body I and on which feeding and controlling cables 23 and 2 are respectively wound. Guide sheaves 25 on the skid plate 2 for the body I serve to guide these cables with respect to, the drums and the cables may be extended from these sheaves in various directions as desired. The free ends of the cables are attachable to conventional roof jaclzs or anchors located near the ribs of the room so that when the cables are wound in by their respective drums, the loading boom may be swung laterally or the apparatus may be moved bodily as a unit either forwardly or rearwarclly. The feeding and controlling drums 2| and 22 may be driven from the motor 25] through gears 26, 2?, 29, 30 and 3| under the control of conventional disc clutches 32 and 33. The driving gearing for the cable drums may be similar to that disclosed in the Joy and Simmons Patent No. 2,131,178, if desired. The pumping means includes a hydraulic pump 34 likewise driven by the motor 2E! and having its intake connected to a liquid tank 35 carried by the skid frame 2.

Guided for circulation on the body l and the loading boom G is the front loading conveyor 6 which is preferably of the endless belt type guided by transverse rollers 36 and driven by a conventional hydraulic motor 31 mounted on the boom. The extensible loading boom includes a rear boom frame 38 having longitudinal guide ways 39 on which is slidably guided an outer boom frame fill, and the endless conveyor belt is guided on the relatively slidable boom frames 38, ii] and on the body i. Hydraulic jacks 4!, 4| are provided along the sides of the boom for extending and retracting the outer boom frame d9 together with the loading head 5 relative to the rear boom frame 38 and body l. These hydraulic jacks include cylinders at extendin longitudinally along the sides of and secured to the rear boom frame and containing-reciprocable pistons it having their piston rods 44 projecting forwardly from the front cylinder heads and pivotally connected at 45 to the opposite sides of the outer boom frame ll The conveyor belt passes around a front guide pulley 65 on the extendible outer boom frame ill and a rear pulley i! at the rear end of the front conveyor frame and around an intermediate pulley 48 on the rearward portion of the outer boom frame 4G, and passes around a drive pulley 49 on the inner boom frame 33. These pulleys are so arranged that when the outer boom frame 46 is extended or retracted, the conveyor belt is always maintained under the proper tension. The conveyor drive pulley 39 is driven by the hydraulic motor 3'! mounted on the boom. It is accordingly evident that, irrespective of the extended or retracted position of the loading boom, the conveyor belt is always maintained in operative conveying relation with respect to the loading head and the rear discharge conveyor.

The rear discharge conveyor has formed on the upper portion of its frame 8 a curved frame portion 53 with which cooperate curved frame portions 5! on the rearward portion of the front conveyor frame, and these cooperating frame portions provide a hopper for receiving the loose coal discharged from the front conveyor, and the forward end of the rear discharge conveyor extends downwardly, as shown in Fig. 8, into this hopperlike frame for receiving the coal discharged therein. These cooperating frame por tions 53, 5! are also curved in the manner shown at 52 in Fig. 10, to permit sidewise and endwise tilting of the front conveyor frame with respect to the rear conveyor frame for a purpose to be later explained.

The vertically swingable loading boom 4 is swingable about its pivot by hydraulic jacks 53.

53 comprising cylinders 54 pivoted at 55 on the skid frame 2 and containing reciprocable pistons 56 having their piston rods 51 extending forwardly through the front cylinder heads and pivotally connected at 58 to the rear frame 38 of the loading boom. The loading head 5 carried at the forward end of the loading boom preferably consists of a pair of coacting endless gathering chains 59, 65 having gathering arms 6| for gathering the loose coal on the mine floor and moving it rearwardly onto the front belt conveyor 6. Other conventional types of loading heads and conveyors may be employed if desired. These gathering chains are guided for circulation in guideways extending about the margins of guide bars 62 arranged at the opposite sides of the forward portion of the front belt conveyor. These guide bars are preferably fixed to the upper portion of the outer frame 40 of the loading boom, and the gathering chains are respectively driven by conventional hydraulic motors 63 arranged at the opposite sides of the loading head beneath the frame 40. As shown in Fig. 11, the motors 53 are operatively connected through spur gear trains 54 and upright shafts 65 to the gathering chains 59, 68 respectively.

The hydraulic system in which the pump 34 and tank 35 are embodied includes, as shown in Fig. 12, an intake conduit Hi extending between the pump and the tank, and a discharge conduit H extends from the pump to the pressure passage of a conventional valve box 12 preferably mounted at the top of the tank 35. The valve box has a return conduit l3 leading back to the tank 35. The discharge conduit H has a relief valve 14 so that when the pressure in the line H becomes too high, this valve will open to permit by-passing of liquid through a conduit 15 back to the tank. The valve box 12 includes conventional valve devices I6, l1, l8, 19, 8B and BI. The valve device 76 is connected by conduits 82 and B3 to the opposite ends of the cylinders of the hydraulic roof jacks II, and the valve device 1! is connected by conduits 84 and 85 to the opposite ends of the boom lift cylinders 53. The valve device 18 is connected by conduits 8B and 81 to the opposite sides of the drive motor [3 for the rear conveyor, and the valve device 19 is connected by conduits B8 and o 89 to the opposite ends of the cylinders of the hydraulic jacks 4] for extending and retracting the loading head 5. The valve device 86 is connected by conduits 90 and 9| to the opposite sides of the hydraulic motor 37 for driving the front conveyor. Valve device BI is connected by branched conduits 92 and 93 to the opposite sides of the motors 63 for driving the gathering chains. Liquid under pressure may be supplied concurrently to the motors 63 which drive the gathering chains so that the latter may operate in unison, and the fluid system is so constructed that in the event one of the motors 63 becomes overloaded and stalls, the other motor 63 will continue to drive its gathering chain but at a higher speed. Since the particular structure of the valve devices within the valve box is well known and does not per se enter into the present invention, further description and illustration thereof are herein unnecessary.

The general mode of operation of the improved material handling apparatus is as follows: The apparatus may be hauled about the mine in any known manner, for example, while supported on a transport truck coupled to a mine locomotive, or, if desired, the apparatus may have its own self-contained transporting and propelling means as is common practice in mining equipment. The apparatus may be moved into and out of the section or room being worked by means of the haulage drums and cables, the latter having their free ends attached to suitably located anchor jacks. When the apparatus is suitably located at the working face, as shown diagrammatically in Figs. 13 and 14, the rear discharge conveyor 1 may be secured by the hydraulic roof jacks H in a stationary position with its discharge end overlying the room conveyor Hi. The feeding cables 23, 24 may then be extended from the haulage drums around the guide sheaves 25 and laterally from the apparatus to anchor jacks suitably located near the opposite ribs, and the drums may then be suitably operated to swing the loading boom 4 laterally about its swivel to position the loading head near one rib, as indicated in dotted lines at A in Fig. 14. The hydraulic motors I31 and 31 may then be operated to drive the rear and front conveyors l and 6, and the hydraulic motors 63 may be operated to effect rapid circulation of the gathering chains 59, 69. The loading boom 4 may then be lowered by the hydraulic jacks 53 to bring the loading head near or onto the mine floor, and, when the loading head is so positioned, the hydraulic jacks 4| may be operated to extend the loading boom, thereby to feed the loading head 5 outwardly toward the position indicated in full lines at B in Fig. 14 to gather the loose coal from the mine floor and to move the coal onto the front conveyor. The front conveyor moves the coal rearwardly along the top of the apparatus and discharges the coal into the hop-perlike frame where it is received by the rear conveyor 1, and the rear conveyor moves the coal rearwardly to discharge on the room conveyor Ill by which it is conveyed out of the section or room. During the gathering operation, the loading head 5 maybe raised and lowered by the hydraulic jacks 53 and moved back and forth by the feed jacks 4!. As loading progresses, the loading boom may be swung laterally by the feed cables and drums toward the dotted line position indicated at C in Fig. 14

near the opposite rib, and, as the loading boom is swung laterally, the universal pivotal connection l5, l1 between the front and rear conveyor frames enables the skid of the front conveyor section to slide freely over an uneven floor, and the hopperlike frame 59, 5| receives the coal discharged from the front conveyor irrespective of the lateral or endwise tilted position of the front conveyor frame. During the gathering operation, when one of the hydraulic driving motors 63 for the gathering chains slows down or stalls due to overloading, the other hydraulic motor continues to operate so that its associated gathering chain may continue to gather the coal. Due to the design of the hydraulic system, when one of the hydraulic motors 63 for the gathering chains slows down, the other correspondingly speeds up, and, as a result, when one gathering chain slows down due to the excessive load thereon, the other gathering chain automatically speeds up tending to free the overloaded chain. After the loose coal at the face has been gathered and loaded, the loading boom may be retracted and swung laterally to one side, or if desired the apparatus may be moved bodily as a unit rearwardly away from the face, thereby to enable the face to be cut, drilled and blasted. As the Working face is advanced, the apparatus may be moved bodily forwardly and from time to time, additional conveyor sections may be added to the room conveyor H9. The discharge end of the rear discharge conveyor which overlies the room conveyor is conveniently of substantially the same length as one of the room conveyor sections. While the apparatus is shown loading coal onto a room conveyor, evidently, other types of conveyors may be employed if desired. Other manners of use of the material handling apparatus will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

'As a result of this invention, an improved material handling apparatus is provided especially designed for use in narrow coal seams for loading loose coal onto a room conveyor. It will further be noted that, by the provision of the continuous loading head and the extensible loading boom, the loose coal may be moved away from the coal face in an improved manner. It will further be noted that, by the provision of the extremely low compact structure slidable over the fioor of the mine, the loose coal may be mechanically loaded in mines having extremely low headroom. By the provision of separate hydraulic drive motors for the gathering devices, one gathering device may be driven at an increased speed when the other gathering device has been slowed down or stalled due to overload. While the improved coal loading apparatus is especially designed for use in extremely narrow coal seams, it embodies many of the desirable characteristics of mobile coal loaders which are restricted to use in relatively high coal. The pivotal connection between the front and rear conveyor sections greatly increases the flexibility of the apparatus. Other advantages of the invention Will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a material loading apparatus adapted for use in mines having low headroom, a front skid, a rear skid having a circular bottom portion, said skids slidable longitudinally and laterally over the fioor of a mine, an elevating conveyor mechanism carried by said front skid, a discharge conveyor mechanism carried by said rear skid and arranged to receive the material discharged from said elevating conveyor mechanism, and means for pivotally connecting said skids whereby said front skid during movement thereof over the mine floor may swing horizontally and tilt sidewise and endwise relative to said rear skid including a swivel ring surrounding the bottom portion of said rear skid, a frame pivotally connected to said front skid at its rear end to rock on a longitudinal axis relative thereto and a transverse pivot between said ring and said rocking frame.

2. In a material loading apparatus adapted for use in mines having low headroom, a front support, a rear support having a circular bottom portion, said supports movable longitudinally and laterally over the floor of a mine, an elevating conveyor mechanism carried by said front support, a discharge conveyor mechanism carried by said rear support and arranged to receive the material discharged from said elevating conveyor mechanism, and means for pivotally connecting said supports whereby said front support during movement thereof over the mine floor may swing horizontally and tilt sidewise and endwise relative to said rear support includin a swivel ring surrounding the bottom portion of said rear support, a frame pivotally connected to said front support at its rear end to rock on a longitudinal axis relative thereto and a transverse pivot between said ring and said rocking frame.

CHARLES F. OSGOOD.

REFERENCES GITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 736,385 Hamilton Aug. 18, 1903 806,804 Hamilton Dec. 12, 1905 1,128,880 Jamison Feb. 16, 1915 1,290,021 Levin Dec. 31, 1918 1,327,053 London Jan. 6, 1920 1,449,088 Burnell Mar. 20, 1923 1,569,209 Shanaberger Jan. 12, 1926 1,753,246 Newdick Apr. 8, 1930 1,762,072 Newdick June 3, 1930 1,772,681 Petersen et a1 Aug. 12, 1930 1,997,247 Cartlidge Apr. 9, 1935 1,997,589 Levin Apr. 16, 1935 2,050,982 Arentzen Aug. 11, 1936 2,069,091 Housman Jan. 26, 1937 2,135,141 Miller Nov. 1, 1938 2,144,871 Clarkson Jan. 24, 1939 2,151,571 Sloane Mar. 21, 1939 2,205,013 Joy June 18, 1940 2,205,124 Pray June 18, 1940 2,338,704 Clarkson et a1 J an. 11, 1944 2,370,147 Clarkson et a1 Feb. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 490,066 Great Britain Aug. 9, 1938 

